A Glow in the Dark: Starting a Campfire

It's hard to beat a campfire after a long day on the trail. Here's how to enjoy the moment even when conditions are against you.

by Tim Hauserman

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(Broudy/Donohue Photography)

Wind and rain When it’s wet, locate dry wood under logs or leaves, gather dead snags suspended in trees, or tear open stumps for flammable pitchwood. In windy conditions, build a wind break with rocks and pitch your tent out of the path of blowing embers.

No fire ring If there’s no established site and a fire is necessary, prevent ground scars with a fire mound: Pile six inches of dirt atop a ground cloth; disperse soil afterward.

Burn restrictions When fires aren’t allowed or prudent, opt for the Black Diamond Apollo lantern, with a three-watt LED that lasts for 60 hours on 4 AAs ($50, bdel.com). For a more natural glow, the UCO Candelier burns three candles (rated to last 9 hours) to create enough light for an evening of Euchre ($30, campmor.com).

#NPS100: Before you ask, it’s not a filter: it’s smoke from wildfires hundreds of miles away bringing an early sunset to Teddy Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota. Practice fire safety this summer whether it’s in the backcountry or your backyard. #FindYourPark

#NPS100: National Parks are truly a treasure to us all. Theodore Roosevelt recognized this when he preserved millions of acres of land back in 1906. Subaru of America, Inc. invites you to explore a national park in honor of the National Park Service Centennial - for a once-in-a-lifetime celebration of the planet’s most spectacular places. Visit subaru.com/environment for more information. #FindYourPark